Vj search

Muchmusic VJ Search: The Series

VJ Search is the title of a reality television program aired on Canadian music video TV station MuchMusic. A new series is created every few years and the main point is to find a new MuchMusic VJ to join the current list of MuchMusic personalities. The current program is in 10 episodes.

2006 marked the first year that the VJ Search embarked on a reality series format, consisting
of ten episodes over a ten week period. In previous years, the VJ Search took place over a 2 day period, broadcast live on MuchMusic beginning Saturday afternoon and completing on Sunday evening, where a new VJ was crowned. Previous winners include Bradford How (2000) and Devon Soltendieck (2004).

The program documents a team called the VJ Search Team made up of VJs (Matte Babel, Leah Miller, Devon Soltendieck and Sarah Taylor). The team goes on a cross-Canada tour - the VJ Search Team visits 23 cities and make 32 stops from coast to coast - where VJ applicants demonstrate their talent in front of a camera and assembled crowd in shopping malls, university and college campuses .

After decision making by judges, 10 applicants are chosen to participate in the show, filmed in a luxury penthouse in Toronto. Throughout the duration of the program, a process of elimination singles out applicants by their talent. By the end of the 10 episodes, only one person will become a MuchMusic VJ. The winner of the 2006 series was Tim Deegan.

Much VJ Search 2006 Standings

2006 Much VJ Search Episode Recaps

January 30th - Episode 1: Auditions; 20 semi-finalists revealed. Also clips of advice and insight from former MuchMusic VJs.

February 6th - Episode 2: 20 semi-finalists are flown to Toronto and kept inside the Gladstone Hotel. Each person had to randomly pick either Yellowcard or Our Lady Peace to interview, but they were only allowed to ask them one question. In the elimination, the judges narrowed 20 down to 10.

February 13th - Episode 3: Remaining 10 move into the penthouse in The Suites at 1 King West and are given the challenge of co-hosting MuchOnDemand. They then have a press party in their penthouse. Norm Aloconcel is voted off for acting like this was 'The Big Norm' show. The full introduction to theme song with all 10 finalists.

February 20th - Episode 4: 9 finalists are put into 3 groups and are assigned to make a short video for Star! Daily about the upcoming Academy Awards. Nathalie Morgan is voted off because she did not appear on camera in her group's production, though some viewers believe that they did not pick either Erik or Frank to be voted off because they would add to the penthouse drama, therefore giving the show higher ratings. Introduction to the 'Loser Loft', where all cast-offs are sent and are given the opportunity to choose who they want to go off after watching the challenges themselves. However, the remaining finalists are unaware of this factor in the series.

February 27th - Episode 5: The 8 left have the challenge of practicing their live on-air throws and then get a make-over. Larissa Tobacco is voted off for having terrible throws and not having performed well on any of the other challenges.

March 6th - Episode 6: The remaining seven are flown off to Edmonton to cover the anniversary of a radio station and provide a story. They were split into two groups: 4 guys against 3 girls. The girls got 1 less member because Rebecca Stacey had the hometown advantage. However, she was voted off for failing as a group leader.

March 13th - Episode 7: It's down to six and they are flown, once again, to Edmonton to design a promotional shirt for the band Theory of a Deadman. They were split into two teams (Nikki, Erik, and Tim against Frank, Sean and Casey-Jo) and the band chose the design of a white t-shirt made by Nikki, Erik and Tim since it was more concert-friendly. They then had the challenge of selling the winning t-shirt to as many fans at an Edmonton concert as possible, and since Erik managed to sell the most t-shirts in the shortest amount of time he was given the opportunity to interview and introduce the band. Frank Nwankwo is then voted off, mostly because of his attitude, and because other contestants saw him drinking on the job.

March 20th - Episode 8: The final five are flown to L.A. to do an interview with Covergirl spokesperson, supermodel, and actress Molly Sims. Casey-Jo Loos and Tim Deegan performed the weakest in their interview with the supermodel, and are both taken off the air. It is announced to the viewers at the end of this episode they will be choosing one of the seven people from The Loser Loft that would be given the opportunity to return.

March 27th - Episode 9: It's down to three, and they are given the challenge to choose the concept for the music video for the show's theme song, What Would You Do? by Lindsay Robins, in which Nikki's idea is picked. They must each then conduct an on-set interview with a person that was working on the shoot. No one is eliminated in this episode, but it is announced to the remaining finalists that someone from the Loser Loft will be coming back.

April 3rd - Episode 10: The first-part of the finale in which the wildcard winner is announced (Tim). Most people think that the fact he looks good/took off his shirt a couple times is one of the few reasons of voting Tim back on. All four finalists are interviewed by Dina and asked a question from a random member in the audience, and then some of their highlights from the show are shown for each finalist. Then, they put all four together in their last challenge: to test their music-knowledge to its full extent. Erik takes an early lead, but Sean surpasses him and goes on to win the competition with 100 points thanks to the question about Cher and all of the image-related questions while Nikki only managed to score 10 points. Fans then find out that they now have the chance to vote for who they feel should be the winner: Erik Bartik, Nicole Mah, Tim Deegan or Sean Gehon.

April 10th - Finale: The remaining four finalists, Expert Panel, and all five remaining Lost Lofters arrive at Much HQ to a live studio audience once more for the grand finale. First, we look at how the campaign for each of the remaining four finalists turned out in each of their home cities. Then, we see how the judges have acted throughout the show, and after the Losers give their choice as to who will win, all polls stop and Norm Alconcel performs his smash hit 'I'm Not a Loser' live, eliminations began. Erik was sent packing, followed by Nikki, then Sean, thus crowning Tim Deegan as Muchmusic's next VJ.

Trivia

Although Hannah Sung is also a MuchMusic VJ, she wasn't included or credited as a VJ for the promos. She is often considered a reporter, rather than a VJ.

If Sean had won the VJ Search, he would have become the first openly gay MuchMusic VJ (if it wasn't for the "wildcard", a major criticism in the 2006 VJ Search), although Sook-Yin Lee previously identified as bisexual.

On the finale when Norm is singing "I'm Not a Loser", he says to Traci Melchor that she's a better judge than Paula Abdul, an American Idol judge.

The day after the 2006 VJ Search Finale, Tim guest starred on MuchOnDemand. He told Matte Babel some secrets from the VJ Search, including an on camera kiss between Casey Jo and Erik, which was leaked onto the internet.